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According to a recent Mastercard survey, contactless payments are now used by more than half of US citizens, and this trend is only anticipated to continue.
Near Field Communication (NFC) is the fundamental technology that makes contactless payments possible. Many smartwatches on the market today have NFC chips that enable you to make contactless payments right from your wrist.
Although the coronavirus pandemic is probably contributing to the rise in cashless transactions, it is difficult to deny the simplicity of NFC payments.
| Image | Product Name | Editor's Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Galaxy Watch 4 | Check Price | |
 | Apple Watch Series 7 | Check Price | |
 | Fitbit Versa 3 | Check Price | |
 | Mobvoi Ticwatch E3 | Check Price | |
 | Garmin Venu 2 Plus | Check Price |
Fortunately, most of the big smartwatches from Apple, Samsung, Garmin, and Google’s Fitbit accept NFC payments in some capacity.
To enable you to leave your wallet at home the next time you go for a walk, run, or bike ride, our research team has spent hours searching the internet and has identified the top 7 smartwatches with NFC support.
Best Smartwatches With NFC Payment Reviews
1. Galaxy Watch 4
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Series’ most recent iteration is a departure from the past. It is the first Wear OS 3 gadget that boasts an incredibly fast 5nm Samsung Exynos W920 CPU.
The watch uses a combination of Samsung and Google apps to give users the best of both worlds. Both Bixby and Google Assistant are wrist-based speech assistants, and both Samsung Pay and Google Pay are contactless payment options.
There is nothing unique about the NFC chip because it has been a part of Samsung watches since the launch of the first Galaxy Watch in 2018. Users now have additional choice thanks to the advent of Google Pay functionality.
With its widespread availability (42 countries), peer-to-peer payment, and support for several debit, credit, loyalty, and gift cards, Google Pay is our top selection if we had to choose between the two.
Galaxy Watch 4 is available in two sizes, 40mm and 44mm, to accommodate both men and women. The 1.36-inch display on the bigger watch is larger than the 1.19-inch display on the smaller watch.
Both watches are shielded by Corning Gorilla Glass DX+, which is rated 5ATM for water resistance up to 50 metres and scratch resistance.
Additionally, GPS monitoring of runs, swims, and cycle rides is supported. As it can track your heart rate, ECG, sleep, calories burned, and blood oxygen levels, the watch also functions as a health tracker.
you also have two connectivity options (LTE & Bluetooth). Even though the NFC payment option doesn’t require an active internet connection, we advise the LTE model due to its stand-alone features, which include the ability to make and receive calls, stream Spotify music, and use Google Assistant on the watch even when you’re not near a phone.
2. Apple Watch Series 7
Since every Apple Watch has an NFC chip, the ability to accept contactless payments with the AW7 is not a surprise. The S7 chip, which is in charge of the operation, has made it the smoothest and most seamless it has ever been.
‘Apple Pay’ is a terrific NFC payment system on its own, if we set the watch aside for a second. You can use it in countless stores, both online and offline, because it is widely accepted. Additionally, it has a larger user base and is accessible in more nations than Google Pay and Samsung Pay.
It’s also worth noting that you won’t need to carry your iPhone around because Apple Pay generates a special token that is stored on the Watch and replicates your credit card information. Payments can be made at vending machines, subway stations and supermarket stores. On the watch, there is also no requirement for Wi-Fi or an internet connection.
You can choose any iWatch from Series 3 to Series 6 that is readily accessible on the market and make NFC payments; but, you won’t receive the bezel-less screen, fluid operation, and rapid charging that come with the new update. However, we advise Series SE over Series 3 if you want to cut corners on these bells and whistles.
Additionally, you have a variety of options for casing material (Aluminium, Stainless steel, or Titanium), connection (GPS vs. LTE), and size (41 vs. 45mm). The watch’s cost varies according to its dimensions, connectivity, and casing material. The lowest model is the tiny Aluminium AW7, which simply has GPS connectivity.
Additionally, this watch offers impressive sports and fitness monitoring features, with several activity profiles supported by precise GPS tracking.
3. Fitbit Versa 3
NFC payments, like those from Samsung and Apple, have been a major selling feature for the Fitbit Versa 3. Under the brand name “Fitbit Pay,” the business debuted its first contactless payment capability on the limited-edition Versa watch from the start.
Fitbit Pay trails Google, Apple, and Samsung Pay in terms of popularity. The service will only be accessible in 47 countries as of March 2022. However, if you reside in North America, you can add significant banks and cards and use NFC to make payments at significant transit hubs.
Although Google now owns Fitbit and the Versa 3 has two voice assistants (Alexa and Google Assistant), Google Pay is not supported on this product.
If we focus on the watch, the Versa 3 is among the most attractive fitness trackers you can get. The bezels are nearly nonexistent, and the display has a sharp 360 x 360 resolution. The watch is one of the lightest smartwatches available, and it is also cosy to wear.
It has an independent GPS and technology that is capable of tracking your activities, but its greatest strength is in health tracking, where it competes with and occasionally outperforms market leaders like Apple Watch. Consider sleep tracking, which is far more detailed than any watch available today.
The Fitbit Sense, which replaces the Versa 3, adds ECG monitoring and a few additional health sensors. Fitbit Pay is also supported by Sense.
When connected to a smartphone, Versa 3 can answer calls and manage smart home gadgets. On the watch, you can store regular MP3 files and stream Pandora music wirelessly. So, there are some really good brains working underneath.
And finally, the battery life is reliable. With the always-on display set on and occasional sports monitoring, you can get roughly 3-5 days of usage.
4. Mobvoi Ticwatch E3
Another watch that accepts NFC payments with Google Pay is the Ticwatch E3, however it is less expensive than some of the other alternatives on this list. It’s a fantastic option for people looking for a low-cost NFC watch with all the bells and whistles.
There are several compromises, but the HD display is still of inferior quality than those of more expensive models. The size is fairly large for a small wrist, and the water resistance is insufficient for swimming laps in a pool.
The watch can store and stream music but does not support stand-alone calling. Setting alarms and timers, sending rapid replies to texts, getting weather and news updates, and setting alarms and timers are all possible with Google Assistant. Additionally, the Google Play store offers tens of thousands of third-party apps.
This watch offers fairly typical tracking for exercise and wellness. It contains a heart rate sensor, calorie counter, step counter, and even GPS for running monitoring. A SpO2 sensor is also present to track blood oxygen levels. Mobvoi has a solid track record in this area, in contrast to Fossil Gen 6.
Last but not least, the Ticwatch E3 has excellent battery performance. On a single charge, it lasts for roughly 45 hours, which is more than enough for the majority of individuals.
5. Garmin Venu 2 Plus
The Venu 2/2S is immediately replaced by the Garmin Venu 2 Plus, which carries over some of the best features from the earlier timepiece. The watch supports a large number of banks and cards in North America and the UK and employs Garmin’s proprietary contactless payment mechanism called “Garmin Pay.”
As you may already be aware, Garmin devices provide precise sports tracking. Additionally, Venu 2 Plus does not let you down in this area. The watch has GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo multi-navigational satellite system support to provide precise position monitoring in a variety of sports like running, bicycling, and hiking.
As a consequence of intense pressure from athletes, especially runners, Garmin incorporated NFC payment functionality. Nobody likes to carry their wallet or smartphone while running. And this is where the ability to accept NFC payments is useful. All you have to do is bring the watch closer to the terminal and enter the passcode on the responsive touch-screen display. There’s no need to look for your wallet or cards.
The watch is also the first from Garmin to enable Alexa, however voice commands cannot be used to input the passcode. In addition to this, the watch has a built-in speaker and microphone so you can make Bluetooth calls on it. Additionally, the watch enables Spotify streaming and 500 songs of music storage.
The watch also has a tonne of fitness tracking capabilities, including as continuous heart rate monitoring, sleep monitoring, stress monitoring during the day, respiration monitoring, hydration monitoring, and more.
Its costly price and bulky design, which may fit large wrists but is somewhat too big for smaller wrists, are two significant drawbacks. The Venu 2S, the Venu, or the angular Venu SQ Music are all available for less money because they all accept NFC payments.
With regard to battery life, Garmin never lets users down, and the Venu 2 Plus is no exception. The watch can easily run in smartwatch mode for 9 days on a single charge and for 8 hours when playing music and GPS.
Final word
We have several reasons why the Galaxy Watch 4 is our top recommendation for Android users. You can fully utilise this watch’s LTE capabilities and a sizable array of health sensors in addition to using it for NFC payments. The watch is well-built, and it syncs up with an Android phone without a hitch.
If you like, you can sync your smartwatch with your iPhone using the Apple Watch Series 7 instead. In terms of style, display, and functionality, the watch is the gold standard. However, it comes with a high price tag. If you require the contactless payment feature, the Apple Watch Series 3 or SE can be a cost-effective alternative.